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Matsuda Shota to star in new detective drama 'Sennyu Tantei Tokage'

On February 18th, TBS announced that actor Matsuda Shota will be starring in their upcoming detective drama 'Sennyu Tantei Tokage'.

This is Matsuda's second time to star as a detective after the 2009 drama Meitantei no Okite' (TV Asahi) and his first time to star in a TBS drama. This time, he will play a former elite police detective who possesses an overwhelming memory.

'Sennyu Tantei Tokage' is a mystery and suspense drama that follows Tokage and his assistant as they help the First Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Department with difficult and unresolved cases. His tough yet charming assistant, who does have feelings for him despite his unsociable nature, is played by actress Renbutsu Misako. One detective of the First Investigation Division is played by TOKIO's Matsuoka Masahiro. He is a well-liked, warmhearted, smart and very mature man, which is basically the complete opposite of Tokage.

Other characters include Tokage's former boss played by Endo Kenichi and the head of the 'Yanagi Detective Bureau' for which Tokage is working for, played by Ito Shiro. Actor Fukikoshi Mitsuru and actress Mimura are also appearing in the drama.

The script is written by Hashimoto Hiroshi ('Karei Naru Ichizoku', 'Jukunen Rikon', 'Unmei no Hito') and the direction handled by Ishii Yasuharu ('Hana Yori Dango', 'Kurosagi').

The protagonist's nickname is 'lizard', because he never lets anyone catch onto his tail while working undercover and always manages to maneuver himself out of a dangerous situation. He is also able to seemingly transform into all kind of different characters - from a male host to a doctor, or from a politician to a prisoner - in order to get down to a difficult case.

Tokage used to be a normal police detective working at the First Investigation Division, but one day he lost his partner because of a grave mistake. After this incident he quit his job and got hired by a private detective bureau that helps the police with secret undercover investigations. Tokage has a difficult personality, no sense of cooperation and doesn't trust anyone. He is methodical to the point of being neurotic and cynical to the point of being unsociable, but he also holds a great sense of justice and detests crimes.

To star as a detective in a drama is always a special chance for Matsuda, for his late father Matsuda Yuusaku was especially known for his great and multi-faceted performance as a detective in the 1979/1980 drama 'Tantei Monogatari'.

TBS will air 'Sennyu Tantei Tokage' every Thursday at 9:00 pm starting in April.